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peppermint meringue cookies.

Peppermint Meringue Cookies

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  • Author: Cindy @mycountrytable
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 40 larger meringues 1x
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American, French

Description

These Peppermint Meringue Cookies have a perfect peppermint flavor, they’re light and airy, and so easy to make. They also look lovely on a cookie tray!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • Red food coloring
  • 4 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract


Instructions

  1. Position oven racks in the center of the oven, and preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Prep the bag: Fit an 18-inch disposable pastry bag with a large open star tip. I used Wilton #8B. It’s 1/2-inch. You can also use Ateco #867. It’s important to use the 18-inch size bag if you can. See my tips above recipe. Fold the top of the bag over about 3 inches. Using a small paintbrush with a pointed tip, dip the paintbrush in the food coloring and carefully paint a stripe of food coloring starting from right above the piping tip and ending at the cuffed part of the bag. Make two more lines inside of the bag, spacing them evenly apart as possible. Go over each line 2 to 3 times if necessary. Set the bag aside and make the meringue.
  3. Make the meringue:  Add the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the egg whites on medium speed until foamy (a few seconds). Increase speed to medium-high and start adding the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until the sugar dissolves (is not longer gritty). Once the sugar has been added, add the extracts and beat on high speed until the meringue reaches stiff peaks. The peaks should stand on their own without drooping or falling over.
  4. Pipe the meringue: Spoon the meringue into the pastry bag, being careful to spoon it directly into the center of the bag, not touching the sides, or you will smudge the food coloring. (This works much easier with the large 18-inch bag). Holding the piping tip perpendicular over the baking sheet, pipe 1-inch to 1.5-inch diameter kisses on the baking sheets, spacing them about 1/2-inch apart. When piping the meringues, lift as you squeeze then stop squeezing and lift straight up and off.
  5. Bake the meringues for exactly 1 hour, making sure to not open the oven door during this time. After 1 hour, turn the oven off, leave the door shut, and leave the meringues in the oven for at least 2 hours or even overnight. The meringues are dry enough when they no longer feel or look sticky and they don’t stick to the parchment paper.
  6. Once meringues are no longer warm, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. If they become too chewy in the centers, simply place them in a 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them back up.

Notes

  • Cookies can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight in a refrigerator.